Railroad-rail.



un M G. S. MAHN.

RAILROAD BAIL.

APPLICATION FILED 002?. 29, 1913.

1,088,288. Patented Feb. 24, 191

Hum! I anon J01 GODFREY S. MAHN, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD-RAIL.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

Application filed October 29, 1218. Serial No. 797,919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GODFREY S. MAHN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvanla, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Rails, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in railroad rails, the object of the invent-ion being to provide an improved construction of rail in which the ends of adjoining rails interlock by dove-tailed mortise and tenon juncture, whereby the rail is provided with substantially a continuous tread portion, so that jars, vibrations, and .the well known clicking sound from the passage of wheels over the joints, is overcome. v

A further object is to provide an improved construction of rail in which the ends are interlocked, and connected by metal filler plates interposed in the joints and serving to weld the ends of the joints together, forming in effect a continuous rail without gaps or obstruction, and dispensing with the necessity for the ordinary fish plates in common use.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and ar rangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a broken plan view illustrating my improvements. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a view on an enlarged scale in section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a modification.

1, 1 represent alined rails. These rails are each provided at one end with a mortise 2, and at the other end with a tenon 3. The

mortise and tenon extend throughout the.

entire height of the rail and are enlarged transversely to form a dove-tailed interlook.

In Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, I illustrate the mortise and tenon of curved shape in cross section, while in Fig. 4, I illustrate as a modification, a mortise and tenon of general keystone shape. I may employ various other shapes of mortise and tenon, but in all of them will embody the idea of interlock which permits the rails to be assembled when one is moved vertically relative to the other, but' looks the rails together agalnst possibility of independent longitudinal movement.

In the mortise 2, and around the tenon 3, and extending to the side edges of the rails, I provide filler plates 4. These filler plates are of suitable soft metal which when heated, operate to weld the two ends of the rail together. This welding may be accomplished in various ways, as for example, by

the direct application of heat through the medium of a torch or by an electric apparatus as is well understood. Furthermore, by interposing the filler plate 4, the rails may be readily bent, the filler plate 4 being compressed at certain points to allow the rails to readily curve.

By providing the mortise and tenon con nection as above set forth, the tread portion of the rail becomes practically continuous, and there is no gap between the rails over which the wheels jar or bump, causing the well known disagreeable clicking noise.- I

therefore believe that my improvements not only overcome the disagreeable sound, but also by reason of the provision of a continuous tread, lengthen the life of the wheels. and cause the car to travel over the rail with greater smoothness and comfort to the passengers. Furthermore, when the rails are thus interlocked, it is not necessary to employ the ordinary fish plates, because the rails cannot move longitudinally, and the ordinary spikes will hold the same against lateral movement.

Various other slight changes might be.

made in the general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What 'Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, two railroad rails 10- rated end to end, one rail having a dovetailed mortise in its end, the other rail having a dove-tailed tenon located in the mortise, said mortise and tenon extending throughout the vertical dimension of the rail, and a filler .plate interposed-between the adjacent ends of the rails, said filler plate its ends extending to the side edges of the rails, substantially as described.

2. In combination, two railroad rails lo-r cated endto end, one rail having a dovein the mortise and at its ends extending to the side edges of the rails, said filler plate of soft metal, and welded throughout its length to both rails, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I .have signed my tailed mortise in its end, the other rail having name to this specification in the presence of a dove-talled tenon located 1n the mortise, said two subscribing witnesses.

' mortise and tenon extending throughout the vertical dimension of the rail, a filler plate interposed between the adjacentends of the rails, said filler plate surrounding the tenon GODFREY S. MAHN.

Witnesses:

M. E. Drr'ros, CHAS. E. Forms. 

